Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Speech
therapy
At the end of the year 124 speech therapy sessions were held at 41 clinics. In addition
47 sessions were held in 27 day schools for the E.S.N. ; 27 sessions in day schools for
the P.H. ; and 18 sessions in residential schools. During the year 1,211 pupils (including
208 in special schools) were formally ' ascertained ' as requiring speech therapy ;
483 (including 50 in special schools) were ' discharged ' as either cured or improved ;
and 304 (including 52 in special schools), most of whom showed some improvement,
ceased to receive treatment for various reasons (e.g., removal).The number of children
under treatment at the end of the year was 2,200, whilst 270 remained on the waiting
list. By the end of the year the total staff employed was the equivalent of 225/11 full-time
speech therapists.
Audiometry
During 1957 both the traditional ' group gramophone ' and the recently introduced
'rapid pure tone sweep ' methods of audiometry were used in the schools. Pupils
failing either test were referred for a full pure tone test, which was carried out either in
the school, or at a convenient local centre.
Numbers of audiometer tests carried out during 1957 were as follows :
First gramophone tests | 31,499 |
Second gramophone tests | 8,323 |
'Sweep' tests | 11,497 |
Full pure tone tests | 3,924 |
Pupils referred to otologists | 1,120 |
Maladjusted pupils
Divisional
case
conferences
In each or the nine divisions a case conference is held regularly to consider problem
children. Each conference consists of the education district inspector, the divisional
medical officer, the education divisional officer and the district organiser of children's
care work (education) and, whenever possible, an educational psychologist attends and
headteachers are invited for discussion of children from their schools. During the year
the conferences dealt with a total of 3,810 cases, of which 1,813 were new cases. Of
these new cases 1,410 were referred to child guidance clinics.
Child
guidance
In London child guidance facilities, at over 30 clinics, are provided mainly by
hospitals, although there are also some voluntary and local authority clinics.
The work done during 1957 at the four child guidance units maintained by the Council is summarised in the following table:
Batter sea | Brixton | Earls Court | Woodberry Down | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. of applications received | 112 | 193 | 56 | 201 | 562 |
No. awaiting first interview at 31st December | 19 | 58 | 24 | 21 | 122 |
No. interviewed and awaiting treatment | 14 | 7 | 16 | 16 | 53 |
Number of patients | |||||
In treatment at 1st January | 32 | 133 | 46 | 63 | 274 |
New cases treated | 60 | 141 | 53 | 133 | 387 |
Total | 92 | 274 | 99 | 196 | 661 |
In treatment at 31st December | 29 | 140 | 44 | 64 | 277 |
Discharged | 63 | 134 | 55 | 132 | 384 |
No. of home visits by psychiatric social worker | 14 | 4 | 11 | 60 | 89 |
No. of school visits by staff | 63 | 41 | 95 | 76 | 275 |